The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-01-13
AN EARNEST APPEAL.
Rev. Mr.. Brown Explains Every
Texan Should Read--A Com
munication from the
Chairman of the
Drouth District.
A Reiteration Of Previous Utter
ances, and q Renewal Of
His Remarkable
Statements.


was handed to the STATESMAN yesterday:
Editor of the Statesman.
ask the privilege of making state
ment to your readers that may help them
the better to understand the question of
suffering in northwest Texas. And first
let me reply to your question as to how
came to 90 north seeking aid before can
wasting the state. In the month of July,
the governor published proclamation
calling upon the people of the country to
render assistance at once to about half
dozen or so counties, whose people were
then without bread. Then, and through
August, relief committees were organized
in about dozen counties, and agents
we're sent to Fort Worth, Dallas, and
other cities through the state to solicit
Some flour, bacon and meal was given at
the start literally and many families were
relieved from starvation. Had the spirit
then awakened, been fostered in the pub
lie mind, Texas would have come up to
the imperative requirement of the Occa-
sion, but at the critical moment a
great opposition sprung up
in Texas to the movement for relief. The
country papers where the suffering &C
tually was, either kept silent on the mat
ter or published squibs giving encourage
ment to the opposition. Prominent
citizens, for reasons better known to
themselves, wrote to the leading dailies of
the state and of other states denying the
statements made by the relief committees
and their agents. This closed the baud of
charity almost entirely III the state of
Texas, and not only so, but the travelling
10 ms nj cd and tran tnH Wi "A ar
they won't as it they we're set of Italian
beggars. | don't blame the peoBle of
Toxas for this change of feeling. blame
the papers Ill the drouth region; blame
those men who saw fit to misrepresent
the true condition of affairs. 1t was now
about time to prepare to put
fall seed in the ground. Several
good showers came and made the soil
cultivatable But while this was true,
what were the thousands of poor farmers
to do for seed? They hadnothing where
with to purchase, and no credit and
from all appearances, even if they got a
little food, seed wheat and other grains
were out of the question. This was the
state of things when Il few of the leading
citizens of Albany-gentlemen who were
Interested in the future prosperity of the
country, and moved by feelings of sym
pathy for their fellow creatures, met to-
gether at the First National bank of that
place, and discussed in most earnest and
serious manner what was best to be done.
Knowing we'll that there would be bitter
opposition, but feeling compelled to act
under a sense of duty rather than self in
terest, they decided to appeal to Chicago
and other northern cities for seed wheat,
etc, for Shackelford, Throck-
morton and the adjacent counties, should
they see fit to unite with them. These af
forwards did. 1t was thought that per-
haps 10000 bushels of wheat would be at
least wanted. was then asked to under
take the procuring ofs this amount, my
church continuing to pay my salary, and
the gentlemen already referred to making
up my travelling expenses.
| consented to do so, with perfect
sense of the unpleasant task before me,
but from feelings of sympathy and deep
sense of duty under the circumstances
Senator Fleming was chairman of the
committee of relief, organized at the
bank, and he duly wrote cut my commits
sion to go north. You will, therefore, see
that this constant abuse of me for going
north is very unfair and should cease
Immediately. After telling it 80 often to
the people of Texas, l don't see why it
should be continued.
Wen, after gong north | found that
to solicit for two or three counties would
never do. The people north were pre-
pared to give us 'the seed wheat wanted,
but it must DO for the whole drouth re
gion. They did not want to be troubled
by scores CT agents from the different
counties. Therefore, | wrote my COM
mittee telling them that, on my own res
possibility, | was soliciting for the whole
northwest, where the drouth existed, and
advising that the other counties might be
notified at once. The corresponding sec
rotary wrote me to go ahead, for, on ac-
count of the opposition developed many
would not get seed wheat who ought to. So
l went ahead, and we divided with all
the counties making application for aid.
Now, sir, | hope this statement will be
satisfactory to all concerned.
Secondly beg that the press of Texas
would ceuse attributing to the reports
of the drouth great injury to the state.
Do the editors of our papers, as Others,
imagine that this distress can be covered
up from the world! Are they not aware
that tens of thousands have left the
drouth region in deplorable condition,
and are scattering all over the other states
the most heart rending descriptions of
their poverty. These are living, mo ling
monuments of the drouth, and every one
of them keeps hundreds of Others from
coming to this country. When | was in
Buffalo, n. Y, family arrived
there from northwest Texas. that
shocked the whole city. 1t is vain to
imagine that the report of the drouth and
consequent suffering can be hid from the
country. And il does seem to me very